Advent Adventures
by MustBeAWriter
Summary: a series of unrelated Christmas drabbles, set in multiple AU 'verses
1. Silent Night

_Hey everyone! Welcome to day one of a 25 day Advent Adventure. First up is a future fic, courtesy of an anonymous tumblr prompt. Hope you enjoy!_

(Kate)

She's not surprised to find the loft quiet when they get home. It's well past midnight, the kids have school tomorrow, and they're old enough that the appeal of waiting up for Mom and Dad has long since worn off.

She slips her heels off with a soft groan, tosses them in the closet with her coat. She turns to Castle, brushes a kiss to his lips. "I'm gonna say goodnight to the kids," she whispers. "Meet you in the shower?"

He shakes his head. "Bath," he corrects. "My knees are killing me."

"Kay," she murmurs. "Give me fifteen minutes?"

Castle nods, sends her on her way with another kiss. She tiptoes up the stairs, shivering as her bare feet hit the cold floor.

Larissa's room is her first stop. Her youngest is fast asleep, a book laying open on her chest, and her bedside lamp still on. Kate marks Larissa's place, sets the book on her desk, and turns off the lamp. She kisses her forehead and tiptoes out of the room.

She slips into Nolan's room next, laughs softly when she finds him facedown on his bed, snoring into his pillow. He doesn't stir when she tucks his blanket around his shoulders and kisses him on the cheek.

Charlie stirs when Kate pauses in her doorway, blinking groggily. "Mom?"

"Hey, honey," she whispers, perching on the edge of the bed. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"'s okay," Charlie says. "How was the party?"

Kate shrugs. "Boring," she admits. "We would much rather have stayed home with you guys." She brushes hair out of her daughter's eyes. "You can go back to sleep. I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Night, Mom," she murmurs, eyelids already drooping. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Charlie's asleep again by the time Kate closes her door and slips back downstairs.

She finds Castle in his office, still mostly dressed, staring out the window, transfixed. "Kate, come look," he whispers.

She's positive she knows what he wants to show her, but that doesn't mean that the gentle snowfall doesn't take her breath away. "Wow."

"Yeah, wow," he echoes. "I bet it'll be even prettier in the morning."

She nods. "What do you say we take that bath and get to bed so we can find out?"

Castle grins, his eyes sparkling with all the wonder that this season never fails to bring out in him. "Sounds perfect."


	2. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

_set in season 5, pre-Secret Santa_

(Castle)

He's whistling as he steps off the elevator onto the Homicide floor. Kate's at her desk, neck deep in paperwork from the case they'd closed late last night. She'd left when he was still half asleep, so he hadn't been able to engage in one of his favorite activities: watching Kate Beckett get dressed.

He's a fan of the turtleneck that she's donning today. It's a pretty green color, form-fitting, and it looks delightfully soft.

"Good morning, Detective," he says, setting her coffee on her desk and settling into his chair. "You're looking lovely today."

He watches her lips twitch in an effort to hide a smile. "I'm glad you think so," she says, taking a sip of her coffee. He thinks he hears a hint of annoyance in her voice, but shakes it off. She hasn't dragged him off to the breakroom by his ear, so he can't be in _that_ much trouble, can he?

But there's no mistaking the way she sets her coffee down just a little too forcefully. But she's also still smiling. He squirms a little in his chair. Is he in trouble here, or not?

"Did you know that I actually don't like turtlenecks all that much?" she asks casually.

"I wasn't aware of that, no," he says carefully. "You've been wearing quite a few of them lately."

Kate hums. "So I have," she says. "In fact, I'd say there's a direct correlation between us starting a relationship and the increase in the number of turtlenecks that I've been forced to wear." She finally turns to look at him, raises an eyebrow significantly.

Castle's jaw drops. "You're blaming me?" he asks, his outrage only mostly fake.

She gives him that _look_. The one he's been getting since the day they met (and that he'll never admit to being turned on by). "Who else could I possibly have to blame for these?" she asks, tugging her collar down just enough for him to see the numerous hickeys that weren't there yesterday.

He just grins, leans in to whisper, "I don't recall you complaining last night. In fact, you were...quite encouraging."

She ducks her head to hide the blush that he knows is staining her cheeks. "That's not the point, Castle," she says. "If Gates finds out..."

"I know," he says. "I'll try to be more careful. But look on the bright side; at least it's sweater weather now, and not, y'know, the middle of August."

She laughs. "I guess that's one way of looking at it."

"So does that mean I'm forgiven?" he asks.

Kate grins. "You were forgiven the minute you gave me this," she says, holding up her coffee. "But I'm still going to have to punish you later."

He looks at her with hopeful eyes. "Naked punishing?"


	3. Santa Baby

_set in season 2_

(Castle)

He nearly chokes on his candy cane when he opens the door to Kate Beckett. Because, while he's been expecting her, he hasn't been expecting _this_.

It's not the way her hair is curled, or the sultry makeup, or the heels that put her eye-to-eye with him that has his jaw dropping.

No, it's the dress. The dress that he's not really sure counts as a dress. It's red and sequin-y and so tight that he wonders if she can even breathe. It's the last thing he ever expected badass Detective Beckett to show up at his door in.

She scowls at his scrutiny, and _ah, that's more like it._ "Shut up," she snaps, brushing past him.

"I didn't," he squeaks. He clears his throat. "I didn't say anything."

She toes her heels off and tosses her clutch onto the island. "Yeah, you weren't saying anything very loudly." She shivers violently. "Is the fire going?"

"Oh! Yes," he says. God, he's such an idiot, she must be freezing. "I'll get you something warm to change into and...start the hot cocoa?"

"That sounds perfect," she says, actually smiling at him. "Thanks."

He puts some milk on the stove on a low heat, then heads to his room to find her some sweats. He digs out a pair from college that he's long since outgrown, adds a pair of fuzzy Christmas socks for good measure.

Beckett's in the kitchen when he emerges, carefully stirring ingredients into the pot. He spies cocoa powder, sugar, and something else that she hides in a drawer when she notices him.

He holds up the clothes. "I managed to find something that should sort of fit, anyway," he says. "I can finish up here if you want to change."

She laughs. "Nice try, Castle, but my mom wouldn't even share this recipe with my dad," she says. "Fletcher women only. Now, turn around, and no peeking."

He complies with a dramatic huff. "So, I'm guessing this getup," he says, gesturing vaguely behind him, "is connected to that work emergency you texted me about earlier."

He swears he can hear her eyeroll. "I hate working with Vice," she says. "You should have seen what the lead detective _tried_ to put me in. It was basically fur-trimmed lingerie."

Castle chuckles. "Are you sure he wasn't just hoping for a hook-up?"

"He probably was," Beckett says. "But I threatened to remove his jingle bells if he tried anything."

Her laughter is a pleasant sound. She's been...quiet the past few weeks. Since everything with Dick Coonan, and he's not dumb enough to ask, but it probably has to do with her mother, too. Her mother who died just after New Year's. He'd never call Kate Beckett a Grinch, but he also wouldn't blame her if she hated the holidays.

She taps him on the shoulder, offers him two steaming mugs when he turns around. "Pick a movie and get settled," she says, trading him the cocoa for the clothes. "I'll be right out."

It's already been the most unexpected evening he's spent with her, and the surprises keep coming when she joins him on the couch and immediately curls into his side.

"Don't read too much into it," she says when he just stares at her. "You're warm, that's all."

But she can't quite hide her smile in her cocoa, and he thinks his heart has already grown three sizes before the movie even starts.


	4. Where Are You Christmas?

_set in the universe where Kate is a recovering drug addict. parts 1-3 can be found in There's Always A Story chapters 32, 33, and 41_

(Kate)

They're spending their visit walking around the gardens because he wanted to and she's not in the mood to argue.

She's out of it, though, hasn't really been paying attention to him, and she should feel worse about that, she thinks. He's made time in his schedule to come see her, and she's...ignoring him.

"Kate, did you hear me?"

She looks up at him, and just how long has he been waiting for an answer? "I'm sorry," she says, sighing. "I'm just...not with it today."

His smile is so understanding, and she almost wants to cry. What did she ever do to deserve someone like him?

"I asked if you'd be okay with me bringing Alexis along when I come visit on Christmas Eve," he says. "I want you to meet her, and I thought that would be as good a time as any."

She's already shaking her head _no_ before he stops talking. "I'm not sure I want any visitors at all," she admits. "I'm not very good company around the holidays."

"Kate." He's crying now, and she very deliberately does not look at him, because she'll cave if she does. Agree to _anything_ if it will wipe that look off of his face.

"I can't even _remember_ last Christmas, Rick," she says. "But I can't imagine it was good in any way."

"So, we make this one better," he says, as if it's that simple.

She shakes her head again. "I wish it were that easy," she tells him, and she's not lying. She really does wish she could enjoy Christmas, but it just doesn't seem possible. She shrugs. "I'll probably end up crying over my mom the entire day, anyway. Your daughter doesn't need to see that."

"Then I'll come by myself," he says. He tilts her chin up, makes sure she's looking him in the eyes. "I love you, Kate. There's no way I'm letting you spend Christmas alone."

"We'll talk about it," she says finally. "Maybe a few therapy sessions will help me sort things out, who knows?"

"Okay." He gives her a quick kiss. "Want to head back inside?"

She nods. As they walk, she thinks about how this Christmas is already better than the last. Because of him. Because of his faith in her.

The way his eyes light up when she tells him that is better than any gift.


	5. A Marshmallow World

_set in season 4_

(Kate)

They're stuck. Alone together. Again. Trapped by a freak blizzard with no cell reception to speak of. God, Gates is never going to let her out of the precinct again.

"Is it just me, or have we been having the _worst luck_ on cases lately?" Castle muses. He's rummaging through cabinets, " _looking for candles, Beckett, what if the power goes out?"._ He appears to be ignoring the fact that a) there's a fireplace, and b) she already has a fire going.

She shrugs. "At least there's no tiger this time."

His laughter is interrupted by a gasp of victory. "Yes! Come to Daddy, you gorgeous thing, you."

Kate's holding back laughter as she turns to the kitchen. "Find some candles, did you?"

"Nope, even better," he says, beaming. "Hot cocoa! With marshmallows!"

He holds the box up proudly, and she can see the coating of dust from across the room. She wrinkles her nose. "Do you realize how _old_ that probably is?"

Castle examines the box, wipes off some dust to get a closer look. His grin returns in full force. "We're in luck," he proclaims. "It's still good."

He joins her by the fire sooner than she expected, hands her a mug, watches as she takes a sip. It's nothing special, generic cocoa mix (made with water. She's guessing he didn't have nearly as much confidence in the milk as he did the cocoa.), but it's hot, and he most definitely gave her half of his marshmallows.

"I know it's not up to my usual standards," he says. "But under the circumstances, it's not bad."

"You mean under these ridiculous circumstances that no other set of partners would ever find themselves in?" she asks, smirking.

He chuckles. "You've got a point," he admits. "This would never happen to Ryan and Esposito."

"I'll bet we're still having more fun than they are," she counters. "They're stuck doing paperwork."

He nods. "Oh yeah. We totally win."

And even though they're stranded by a snowstorm in the middle of nowhere, she can't help but agree.


	6. Mistletoe

_set in the current season_

(Castle)

LT sneaks him in.

He knows he's not supposed to be here. He understands the potential danger of them being seen together too often.

But it's Christmastime, and Ryan had offhandedly mentioned that Kate's office remains undecorated, and now he can't stop thinking about bringing her a little Christmas cheer.

So he's sneaking into the 12th to decorate her office while she's busy doing "Captain things". He feels like a Christmas elf, and it's making him giddy.

LT grudgingly holds the decorations while Castle unlocks the door. "Thanks, man," he says, taking the bags and boxes back.

"Just remember, you've got one hour," LT says. "I'll try to warn you if she comes back early, but if you get caught, I wasn't here."

He closes the door and surveys the room, mentally catalogs the knick-knacks on her shelves, decides which ones he can replace and which ones are too important.

The lights go up first. Soft, white fairy lights that trim the door, the windows, and her bookshelf.

Next comes garland, weaving around her computer, her nameplate, even the neat stacks of files.

Brightly colored snowflake confetti adorns her shelves, window sills, surround some of her favorite ornaments. Reindeer, snowmen, even a happy little elephant wearing a Santa hat.

He settles a red and green blanket over the back of her futon, and then moves on to his final touch. The Christmas tree is small, not even two feet, but it fits perfectly on the little table in the corner.

He arranges fabric snow around its base, then gets out the box of miniature ornaments. He spends a good twenty minutes decorating the tree, placing each piece with meticulous care. He's just placing the tiny star on top when he hears a throat clear behind him.

Kate's standing in the doorway, an amused smile on her face, but also something that looks suspiciously like tears forming in her eyes.

"Kate, hi," he says, grinning sheepishly. "Surprise?"

She laughs. "It's certainly...something." She runs her fingers over the elephant figurine's hat. "You really outdid yourself here."

"It's Christmas," he says softly. "I just thought..." He trails off with a shrug, both bashful and a little worried.

Kate comes to him, takes his hands in hers. "It's beautiful, Rick. I love it." She looks around the room. "I think you forgot something, though."

He frowns. "What did I forget?" He'd thought of everything...hadn't he?

She steps a little closer, bumps her nose against his. "There's no mistletoe."

He grins. "Mmm, not necessary." He cups her face in his hands and kisses her. It's deep and intimate and perfect; everything they can't be in public. He swallows her frantic moan, and gentles the kiss. Slows down enough to both savor the moment and prevent things from getting too out of hand.

She whines when he pulls away, and he laughs. He'll pay for it later, but right now he can't help bragging a little. "See," he says. "No mistletoe required."


	7. Blue Christmas

_set pre-series, Kate's first Christmas without her mom_

(Kate)

She doesn't go home after class, choosing instead to wander aimlessly around the city. It's bitterly cold, and it hasn't stopped snowing all day, but it's better than going home and watching her dad drink himself to sleep. It keeps her from locking herself in her mom's study and crying until she can't breathe.

Mom would hate what they've become, Kate and her dad. They're shells of the happy family that they were last year, when Mom was alive.

They haven't even decorated the house for Christmas. It's two weeks away, and theirs is the only house on the block without so much as a wreath on the door. No tree, no lights, nothing. God, Mom would have a heart attack.

Christmas was her mom's favorite holiday, used to be Kate's, too. The minute Thanksgiving was over, they'd be decorating, baking, skating in Rockefeller Center, dancing around the kitchen to Christmas carols on the radio.

It doesn't feel like Christmas without Mom, and she can't bring herself to even try to celebrate. Her therapist insists that it isn't what her mom would want. That she'd want Kate and Jim to celebrate in her memory. And she's probably right. But...it's just not that easy.

She finds herself at Rockefeller Center when she finally pays attention to where she's been walking for the past hour. She goes in on impulse, uses the remains of her lunch money to rent a pair of skates. Her own neon skates are stuffed in a box in the back of her closet, hidden with all of the other memories from last year.

It's early enough in the day that the rink is mostly deserted. She makes her way around the ice slowly, ignoring the couple that laps her repeatedly. For all of her natural grace, she's never mastered the art of speed skating without falling on her butt. The last time she'd been here...

The last time she'd been here, she'd tried showing off and wound up with a badly bruised tailbone and ego. To her mom's credit, she'd made sure Kate was okay before laughing hysterically.

Her vision blurs with tears, and she heads for the exit. She should have known this was a dumb idea, that she would only end up in tears...again.

She's trying to tie her shoes and wipe away tears at the same time when she hears footsteps stop beside her. A hand on her shoulder, and she's looking up into a pair of seriously blue eyes.

The guy looks familiar, but she can't place him. He also seems genuinely concerned. "Are you okay, miss?"

"I'm fine," she says automatically. He doesn't seem convinced, and neither does the little girl with red hair and matching eyes that's peeking around his leg.

"Why're you crying?" she asks, and Kate might be annoyed if the girl weren't so young.

"Pumpkin, that's none of our business," her dad says, shooting Kate an apologetic look.

"It's fine," she says. "I fell, that's all." Her mom would scold her for lying, but no way is she spilling her guts to a complete stranger. She tries to smile. "Hurt my ego more than anything else."

He smiles back. "As long as you're okay..."

Kate nods. "I really am. But thank you."

It isn't until she pulls out the book she brought to occupy her on the subway that she realizes she just met her mom's favorite author.


	8. All I Want For Christmas is You

_season 3 au, no Josh or Gina_

(Castle)

"Seriously, who _invited_ that guy?" he growls.

Maybe he's being a little irrational. Kate wants him, has reassured him of that several times. And, yes, he and Kate had agreed to not broadcast their relationship just yet. But that doesn't mean that seeing his girlfriend talking to her most recent ex doesn't make him jealous.

It doesn't mean he has to like it.

"You need to chill, bro," Espo says, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "At least, don't make it so obvious that you wanna wring Demming's neck."

He feels something drip onto his hand and realizes he's crushing his cup of punch. He throws the mess away, wipes his hand off with a napkin.

"I don't want to wring his neck," he says, shrugging at the look Espo gives him. "Per se."

"Whatever you say, bro," Espo says. He gets distracted by his phone, then grins and grabs a fresh cup of punch. "Gonna find Lanie," he says. "You have fun...over here...by yourself..."

He's gone before Castle can even try to defend himself. He goes to the punch bowl, starts pouring himself a new cup. He takes solace in the fact that Kate seems totally bored with Demming.

She starts scanning the crowd, gives him a little wave when she catches his eye. He grins when she rolls her eyes. He holds up his punch and raises an eyebrow, and she nods. He pours a cup for her and starts to make his way across the bullpen.

He's momentarily distracted by Jenny, chats with her for a few minutes about his latest book. He doesn't see what happens behind him, but Jenny's jaw drops just before the room echoes with a very audible slap.

Demming is holding his face, and Kate is purposefully striding towards him when he turns around. He's confused for a moment until he sees the sprig of mistletoe in the Robbery detective's hand. He can guess what happened, and it's probably a good thing he didn't actually see it go down.

"Hey," he says, holding out the cup of punch for her to take.

She ignores the punch, surprises him by rising up on her toes and kissing him. "Hi." She takes the punch, takes a sip, grins as he gapes like a fish. "So, I had this idea," she says.

"Uh huh," he manages.

"I don't want to hide anymore," she says. "I want you, and I want everyone to know that."

He lets her know just how little of a problem he has with that plan.


	9. Dominick the Donkey

_set in season 7, and dedicated to my favorite ridiculous Christmas song_

(Kate)

"Okay, I know we said this was a no judgment zone," Castle says, "but I am seriously judging you right now."

She gapes at her husband. "Seriously?" she asks. " _You_ are judging _me_?"

"Yes, yes I am," he states with an air of playful defiance. "I am judging you for being a Grinchy Grinch."

She actually snorts. "A Grinch, Castle? All I said was that I'm not a fan of those goofy, kiddie Christmas songs," she says. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"The _big deal_ , Kate," he starts, "is that you are lumping some of the best Christmas songs of all time into that category."

"I wouldn't exactly call _Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer_ one of the best Christmas songs of all time." She's poking the bear. She knows it. It's still fun.

She barely contains her laughter when he huffs dramatically and makes for his study. "I can't even be in the same room with you right now."

She shrugs, curls back up with the book she'd been trying to read when this all started. He'll be back soon. He can only pretend to pout for so long before his inability to let things go will bring him out of hiding.

Except...she easily gets through three chapters without so much as a peep from him. It occurs to her, a little too late she thinks, that he might actually be upset.

She goes to the kitchen first, whips up a cup of hot cocoa as a peace offering, even adds extra marshmallows. Then, she seeks him out in his study.

He's definitely not pouting. Brooding would be the more appropriate term. He hadn't even bothered to turn the lights on, choosing to sit in the dim light that the twinkle lights provide.

"Hey," she says softly. She holds out the cocoa, but he doesn't take it. She sets it aside, moves to perch on his lap.

She cradles his face in her hands, coaxes his eyes up to meet hers. "What's wrong?" she murmurs. "Talk to me, please."

He shrugs. "I really don't even know," he confesses. "I guess it...felt like you were making fun of me. But not like the playful making fun that you usually do."

"I didn't mean to make you feel like that, Rick," she says. "I thought it was just a silly fight. I didn't realize it meant that much to you. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," he says. "I may have overreacted, just a little."

She kisses him gently. "You're passionate about the things you love," she says. "That's not a bad thing. In fact, it's pretty hot."

He smiles, and she sees the spark of joy flare back in his eyes. "Even when I'm dancing around the kitchen, singing _Frosty the Snowman_ at the top of my lungs?"

"Especially then," she says with a giggle. "And who knows, babe. Maybe next time I'll join you."


	10. O Christmas Tree

_set an indeterminate number of years in the future_

(Castle)

He can smell the gingerbread the moment he steps off the elevator. He smiles. He'd insisted that they not wait for him to start the process, mostly because he knew how his Black Pawn meetings tended run over.

He can hear Christmas carols playing through the door, mixing with laughter. He slips inside quietly, watches the goings-on in the kitchen with amusement.

There's a tray of gingerbread men cooling on the counter, more in the oven from the smell of things. Charlie and Nolan are sitting on the island where Kate is rolling out more dough.

"Okay, guys," she says, "this a special kind of dough for making ornaments, so you can't eat it."

"Why not?" Charlie asks, pouting. She loves eating cookie dough, which is probably his fault. More dough tends to go in their bellies than on the pan when they make cookies together.

"Because it has glue in it, baby," Kate answers. "Glue's not good for you."

"And it tastes pretty yucky, too" Castle adds.

"Daddy!" He's in the kitchen, scooping Nolan up before the little boy can fling himself off the counter.

He accepts a sticky cinnamon kiss from Charlie, then turns to Kate. "Hi," he says, leaning in for a kiss.

"Hey," she says. "Sorry we started without you, but I wanted to get to the ornaments before bedtime."

He shrugs off her apology. "I told you to start without me if you had to." He turns back to his daughter. "What are we doing, Monkey?"

"We makin' ornaments, Daddy," she says. "We gonna make snowmen and angels and Santas!"

"And Rudolph!" Nolan adds, waving a reindeer cookie cutter in the air.

"Sounds like fun," he says. "You know, I used to make these with your Gram when I was little, and then I made them with Alexis when _she_ was little."

"Really?" Charlie gasps. "Mommy said _she_ used to make them with Gramma Jo."

"She did?" He turns to Kate with mock surprise. "What a coincidence."

She shakes her head, sticks her tongue out at him when the kids aren't paying attention. "The dough should be thin enough," she announces. "The youngest gets to go first."

"That's me!" Nolan squeals, raising his arms in victory. Castle helps him position the reindeer and press it down, and then helps him move the shape to the cookie sheet.

He notices the frown on his son's face. "What's wrong, buddy?"

"His nose, Daddy," Nolan says. "Rudolph's s'posed to have a red nose."

Castle turns to Kate, who's helping Charlie punch out an angel. He raises an eyebrow and she nods, tilting her head towards the cabinets behind her.

"We've got just the thing," he says, rummaging for a moment before pulling out a bag of bright red cinnamon candies. He takes one and presses it into the reindeer. "See?"

His son nods, then starts squirming in Castle's arms. "I make more now."

He sets Nolan back down on the island, then finds a toothpick and starts making holes in the ornaments that are on the pan.

"Mommy?" Charlie asks. "Can I have a candy nose?"

Kate looks to him and he shrugs. "You can try one," she says. "But they're kind of hot. You might not like them."

She pops a candy into her mouth, chews it slowly. "Do you like it?" Kate asks.

Charlie thinks about it for a moment before nodding. "It's good."

Castle grins. "Better than cookie dough?" he asks.

His daughter rolls her eyes, gives him a look far too reminiscent of her mother. "Nothing is better than cookie dough, Daddy."

"I'm sorry, you're right," he surrenders.

Kate grins at him, and he can see the mischief sparkling in her eyes. "There's something I'm wondering, Daddy," she says. "How exactly do you know that ornament dough tastes yucky?"

He clears his throat, can feel his cheeks reddening. "I may or may not...have eaten some. A long time ago."

Their children erupt into giggles. "Did Grams yell at you?" Charlie asks.

"No," he says. "But Alexis did."

They laugh even harder, Kate joining in. "Daddy's silly," Nolan says, earning nods from Kate and Charlie.

"That's very true, baby," Kate says. "But we wouldn't have him any other way, would we?"

The kids shake their heads. "He's the bestest daddy ever," Charlie declares.

Castle grins, fighting tears as their attention turns back to making ornaments. He's not sure about _bestest daddy ever_ , but he is definitely the luckiest guy in the world.


	11. Jingle Bell Rock

_high school au bc I do what I want :)_

(Kate)

"Wanna dance?"

She's grinning before she even looks up at her best friend. "Yes please," she says, letting Rick lead her onto the dance floor. "I've been so freaking bored, you have no idea."

They find a spot and start to sway, her arms around his neck, his hands at her waist. He's not stiff or awkward like most guys their age, and he's not trying to grope her either, which is refreshing.

"What happened with Josh?" he asks, unable to keep the grimace off his face. He's made no secret of how much he dislikes her boyfriend. Well...ex-boyfriend now.

Kate just rolls her eyes. "He ditched me...again," she says. "I get that his volunteering stuff is important, but I got fed up with never being a priority, so..." She shrugs.

Rick shrugs, too. "His loss."

They sway in silence until the track changes. It's another slow song, but they both stop short when it registers.

"Are they seriously playing _O Holy Night_ right now?" she asks. It's the most ridiculous thing ever. Like, sure, it's a Christmas dance, but this is just... _weird_.

"Where did they find this DJ?" Rick murmurs. "Everyone knows you don't actually play Christmas music at a Christmas dance."

"Y'know, this whole thing is...kinda lame," Kate says. "I only came because Lanie begged me to, and I haven't seen her or Javi in almost an hour."

"Wanna get out of here?" Rick asks. "Mother said I could have a few friends over, as long as we don't interrupt her rehearsal. We could watch a movie or just hang out. Whatever you'd like."

"As long as I don't have to stay _here_ any longer, I'm in," she says. "I have to call my parents, but I should be able to stay until the dance is supposed to end, at least."

She meets him outside of the school ten minutes later, with an extended curfew and a bigger smile than she's had all night. Snow starts to fall as they make their way to the nearby Subway entrance, and he offers her a hand to hold.

It turns out that walking in the snow with her best friend is more magical than anything that could have happened at that dance.


	12. Baby It's Cold Outside

_set in season 6 or 7_

(Kate)

She never wants to leave this bed. She's warm and cozy and cuddled up with her fiance, and it's _perfect._

She has a rare day off, and while she's sure they'll eventually find something to do, _this_ is how she wants to spend her morning.

Castle stirs beside her, and she feels the rumble in his chest when he speaks, his voice still rough with sleep. "Mmm, good morning."

"Morning," she murmurs, burrowing closer to him. The morning chill is starting to work its way in, and Castle is a human space heater. He also rarely complains when she presses cold toes against his legs to warm them up.

The alarm goes off, and they both groan. It takes him a few moments, due to his sleepy state, but he manages to shut it off. She feels his chest rise and fall with a sigh, and then the blankets are being thrown back, and he's getting out of bed while she shies away from the rush of cold air.

"Castle," she whines, "what're you _doing_?"

He frowns. "I'm...getting up?" he says. "You said you wanted to make breakfast together today."

She did say that, didn't she? Huh. It still sounds like an amazing idea, but staying in bed, and staying _warm_ , is trumping everything else right now.

"Breakfast can wait," she tells him. "Come back to bed. I'm cold, and I want to cuddle."

Castle grins and complies immediately, wrapping Kate up in blankets and him. She snuggles in happily, burying her nose in his chest. He yelps when her toes find bare skin, and she laughs.

"That's what you get for trying to leave," she teases. He feigns affront, making her laugh even more. He's ridiculously cute when he's trying to be mad at her, and she tells him as much.

"I'm choosing to focus on the part where you think I'm cute," he says, stealing a kiss.

She lets him have another, and another, and another before they settle back in, content to spend the morning together, doing absolutely nothing. They'll get up eventually; make breakfast, run some errands, maybe do some last minute Christmas shopping. But for now, _this_ is the best thing she could possibly imagine.


	13. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

_follow up to Santa Baby (chapter 3)_

(Kate)

After their "not quite a date", he starts bringing her hot chocolate in the mornings instead of coffee. She gets a different flavor every day; peppermint, caramel, mocha.

She'd complain, but he always has a cup of coffee ready and waiting for her once she's finished the cocoa.

Castle's proud of today's flavor, she can tell. He's been making her guess what flavor he's added to her hot chocolate, and, so far, he's only stumped her once (on the bright side, she'd discovered that basil hot chocolate is weirdly delicious). But he's got that smile on his face that she knows means he thinks he has her beat.

He hands the cup over with a grin. "Remember, you've got three guesses," he reminds her.

She picks the cup up and studies it, then turns to him. "What if I refuse to guess?" she asks.

"I believe the technical term for that would be _forfeit_ , Detective," he replies.

She shrugs. "Not necessarily," she says. "I could know what it is immediately, but there's no reason for me to keep playing along if I don't know what I'm playing for."

That makes him pause. "What makes you think there's a prize attached?" he asks, and if Kate weren't so attuned to his tells, she'd take it for the innocent question it sounds like. But no, he's definitely up to something.

She pins him with a look. "Well, for one, you keep referring to this as a game," she starts. "You even made up rules. Two, you're clearly keeping score of which flavors I guess correctly. And three?" She smirks. "You just really aren't all that subtle."

He grins sheepishly. "Would you believe me if I said I'm just trying to sharpen your powers of deduction?"

"Nice try, Castle," she says. "Seriously, what's the deal?"

"Promise not to laugh?" he asks, suddenly shy.

"I promise."

He takes a deep breath, lets it out. "The game was actually an afterthought," he starts. "The original plan was to somehow use the hot chocolate to ask you to spend New Year's Eve with me."

She just manages to keep her jaw from dropping. "You've been bringing me hot chocolate every morning just so you could ask me on a date?"

He shrugs. "I guess?" he says. "It sounds silly when you put it like that." He runs a hand through his hair, obviously flustered. "You don't have to keep guessing if you don't want to. I know it's kind of-"

"Castle!" He stops rambling, looks at her cautiously. She smiles, tries to ease his nerves. "I would actually love to spend New Year's with you."

He lights up like a kid on Christmas morning. "Really?"

"Yes, really." She picks up the hot chocolate, raises an eyebrow in challenge. "As for our little game here...winner gets to decide where we go and what we do?"

He grins. "You're on."

She grins and takes a sip of the hot chocolate, lets out a little moan because _god_ that's good. "Cherry?" she guesses.

He shakes his head. "Strike one."

Kate takes another drink, tries to really focus on whatever fruity flavor is mixed in. She already has plans forming for New Year's, and she also just wants to win on principle.

She's torn between two, so she goes with the more likely option. "Cranberry."

"Strike two." He really shouldn't be getting so cocky. She's beating him 8 to 1; it's not like a win would put the odds in his favor.

She takes another small sip and nods. Yeah, she's got this one. "Pomegranate," she says, grinning when he pouts.

"I should really stop giving you so many guesses," he says, making a note on his phone.

She pats his hand. "Don't worry, Castle." She winks. "I think the only difference in our plans for New Year's is how public our first kiss is going to be."


	14. Mittens

_set in the current season_

(Castle)

He sees the mittens in her office when he sneaks in to leave her a surprise. It both warms his heart and shocks him a little, because he honestly never expected her to ever wear them.

He'd found them at a farmer's market last year, had bought them on a whim. Something cute to stuff Kate's stocking, and he'd actually gotten matching pairs for himself, Alexis, and Mother.

They're actually fingerless gloves that convert to mittens, made from brown wool, and made to look like reindeer. A bright red button holds back the mitten top, which is decorated with felt antlers.

They're completely adorable, and nothing he ever expected his wife to wear out in public, let alone proudly display on her desk.

The tops are folded back, and it gives him an idea. He'd bought tickets for _The Nutcracker_ , a way for them to spend time together that had a very low probability of them actually being recognized together. His original plan was to leave her ticket somewhere on her desk. Maybe in her notepad, or in her inbox.

Instead, he tucks the ticket into the mitten with a folded up note. _I'll wear mine if you wear yours..._

(Two nights later, they leave the theater together, mittened hands entwined.)


	15. My Only Wish This Year

_set in season 3 (in a world where Knockdown happened before Christmas)_

(Castle)

The Christmas party at the Old Haunt is in full swing, eggnog and champagne flowing, Mariah Carey pumping through the speakers. He's chatting with the boys, laughing at a story Ryan's telling about his nephews, when the bells on the door jingle and Beckett walks in.

She's alone tonight, no sign of Josh, and she takes his breath away. Her hair falls around her shoulders in waves, glittering snowflakes clinging to the strands. Her dress is a deep purple that falls to just above her knees, clinging in all the right places.

She smiles and waves when she catches his eye, starts weaving through the crowd to join them at their table. She stops to talk to Lanie, and he makes himself tear his eyes away. She isn't his. She has a boyfriend. The kiss they'd shared, while being the most extraordinary kiss of his life, did nothing to change that.

"Yo, Earth to Castle." Javi's waving a hand in front of his face, and he wonders how long they've been trying to get his attention.

"You with us, bro?" Ryan asks.

He decides against lying to them. They know him too well, anyway. They'd see right through him. "Not in the slightest," he says. He sighs, runs a hand through his hair. "What do I do about Beckett guys?"

They both shrug. "If it weren't for Dr. Motorcycle Boy, I'd say just go for it," Ryan says.

"I say do whatever the hell you want," Javi says. "Just as long as you don't ditch her again."

He scoffs. Like he could ever after the torture that was this summer. He's still not sure exactly where the misunderstanding occurred, only that one did. He's been working to regain her trust, and he's been fairly confident in his success.

Until the kiss that he can't get out of his head.

He hears laughter, turns to see Kate and Lanie approaching, arm-in-arm. He and Javi scoot in closer to Ryan, making room for them in the booth. Kate slides in next to him, sitting closer than absolutely necessary.

"Great party, Writer Boy," Lanie says, raising her glass to him before taking a drink.

"Yeah, this place looks amazing, Castle," Kate says.

"Totally," Ryan agrees, nodding. "I especially like that mistletoe there."

He and Beckett look up together, and sure enough, they're sitting directly under a sprig of mistletoe.

He looks at Beckett, swallows hard. "I swear I had no idea that was there," he says.

She just grins. "It's okay, Castle." She leans in closer. "It's no big deal," she says. "Tradition, right?"

"Right," he says. And then her hands are bracketing his face, and her lips are on his, and his brain short-circuits.

He can't be passive while kissing her. Even as he slips a hand into her hair, he knows they've long passed the appropriate length for a mistletoe kiss. She moans into his mouth, and he freezes, flashes back to last week.

They separate, and he can't look at her. He clears his throat. "Excuse me, I have to..." He doesn't even know if Kate gets up to let him out, or if he just pushes past her. All he knows is that he has to leave. Immediately.

* * *

Kate watches him go, humiliation burning in her cheeks. She's not entirely sure what just happened, doesn't know where things went wrong.

"Kate?" Lanie asks. "Are you okay?"

She nods, distracted. "Um, yeah," she says. "I'm, uh, gonna go find him." She leaves without waiting for any kind of response.

She makes her way through the crowd, heading for his office. She's not sure how, but she knows he's down there. She pushes the door open quietly, takes care to avoid the squeaky stair at the bottom.

Castle's at his desk, contemplating a glass of scotch. He only looks up when he hears the click of her heels on the hardwood floor.

"Hey," she says softly.

The war of emotions in his eyes is like a punch to the gut. Guilt and longing, yearning, and something else she can't bring herself to name, even in her head.

"I'm sorry," he tells her, and he sounds genuinely upset. "I know you're with Josh, and I shouldn't have-"

"Don't apologize," she says. "Don't be sorry, because I'm not."

He still looks conflicted. "Beckett, you're with someone else."

"But I'm not," she says, and she should have told him days ago. "Not anymore."

"What are you saying?" he asks, sounds as breathless as she feels. They've been teetering on the precipice of something amazing for too long, and she's finally ready to dive in headfirst.

"I broke up with Josh," she confesses. "After we kissed. He told me that he's going to Haiti for three months, and I couldn't stop thinking about you long enough to care."

He stands, comes to her slowly. He caresses her cheek, and she can feel his hand shaking. "Tell me what you want, Kate," he whispers.

She pushes up onto her toes, kisses him gently. "You, Castle. I just want you."


	16. I'll Be Home For Christmas

_set a few years in the future_

(Kate)

The loft is quiet without him here, so quiet. It's disconcerting. She always misses him so fiercely when he has to go on tour without her.

It's even worse this time, because it's Christmas, and he was supposed to be home last night.

But a freak snow storm has left Castle stranded in Chicago, with no chance of getting a flight home before tomorrow. He was optimistic when they talked earlier, had said it looked like things were finally starting to die down.

Kate's been obsessively checking weather reports though, and it looks like things are only going to get worse. If he can't make it out tomorrow, he'll likely be stuck 800 miles from home until after Christmas.

He's never missed a Christmas.

She knows it's why he's keeping his hopes up about tomorrow. Because he doesn't want to think about the possibility of being without his family at Christmas. He's a family man, through and through, and she knows the only reason he took the trip in the first place was to stop Gina and Paula from hounding him about promoting the upcoming release of the final Nikki Heat.

She's curled up on the couch, attempting to read, and generally just missing him. She'll end up sleeping here tonight, unwilling to sleep in their bed while he's camping out in O'Hare, waiting for a flight home.

She should be sleeping. She has meetings at 1PP tomorrow, and showing up distracted and exhausted is a really bad idea. But she's waiting on Castle. He'd promised to call with an update before she went to bed, but it's long past midnight, and her phone hasn't so much as buzzed.

She gives up on the book with a huff, stretches out fully on the couch, and wraps herself in a blanket. She keeps her phone close so she'll be able to hear her alarm or Castle's ring tone, whichever comes first, and lets the blinking lights on the tree lull her to sleep.

* * *

" _Kaaate_..."

She groans and swats in the general direction of her husband's voice. She doesn't know what time it is exactly, only that it's ungodly early, even by her standards.

"Kate, honey, wake up," he insists, shaking her shoulder for good measure.

"Go'way, Castle," she mumbles.

"Well, I did _just_ get home after being stranded in an airport for a day and a half," he says. "But if you insist..."

It takes a minute for his words to penetrate her sleep-fogged brain, but when they do, she's instantly awake and flinging herself into his arms. He's already kneeling, so it doesn't take much force for them to tumble to the ground.

She's laying on top of him, staring at his face, illuminated by the light of the tree. She gives in to the overwhelming desire to kiss him, and he responds eagerly, holding her as close as possible.

"You're home," she breathes, resting her forehead against his. "How are you home?"

"Weather cleared unexpectedly," he says. "Caught the first plane out of there. That's why I didn't call. I wanted to surprise you."

Kate grins, kisses him again. "Mmm, you definitely succeeded."

"Do you still want me to go?" he teases. "Because I can..."

She shakes her head vehemently. "No," she says. "You're staying right here, where you belong."


	17. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

_set in season 9_

(Kate)

He texts her in the middle of the day to tell her that he has something that she absolutely _has_ to see when she gets home.

She frowns, instantly suspicious, taps out a response. _Rick...did you buy yourself something completely unnecessary even though we both promised not to until after Christmas?_

Her text alert goes off almost immediately. **No?**

 _Castle..._

 **I promise it's necessary, you'll see when you come home :)**

Kate rolls her eyes, goes back to her computer. A quick check of her e-mail has her breathing a sigh of relief. She's been waiting for weeks to hear if his Christmas present has shipped yet, her stress rising as the holiday drew closer. But she has confirmation now; it should arrive at her office on Tuesday. Then all she has to worry about is sneaking the custom _Star Wars_ laser tag gear into the house.

His old gear had been damaged when LokSat came for them in the summer. Apparently a laser tag vest _could_ stop a bullet. What it couldn't do was work after taking said bullet.

He'd moped for days afterward, and it was actually kind of heartbreaking. So she'd gone to the internet, found someone that could bring her idea to life, and ordered a full set, with the promise that it would be done by December and regular photo updates.

It doesn't even occur to her that Castle might have bought himself new gear until she gets home and is greeted by darkness and the _pew pew_ of his gun.

She sighs, torn between wanting to laugh, cry, and twist his ear. She flips on the light, goes through the motions of removing her coat and boots, making sure to take as long as possible. There's a vest and gun laid out for her on the kitchen counter that she ignores, opting to settle down on the couch and resume the book she'd started last night.

She doesn't even make it through one page before he materializes, sporting his new vest and a pout. "You're no fun," he says, leaning down to kiss her.

"Not what you said last night," she quips. She kisses him again before delivering the blow. "You're returning that gear tomorrow."

His face falls. "What? Why?"

"Because, despite any arguments to the contrary, it was an unnecessary purchase," she reasons. "And you promised. We both did."

He flops down on the couch beside her. "I know we did," he says. "But Alexis will be home on Sunday, and we haven't gotten to play in so long..."

She takes his hand, soothes her thumb over his knuckles. "Babe, I know how much you've missed playing laser tag, especially with Alexis," she says. "But Christmas is in a week. And I need you to trust me and return this stuff, okay?"

His sullen expression fades a little, and she thinks he understands what she isn't saying. "Okay."

"Besides," she says, reaching across him to unstrap his vest, "I think we can come up with a game that is much more fun to play."


	18. Sleigh Ride

_set in season 2_

(Castle)

"This is the worst idea you've ever had."

He just grins. There's no possible way that Beckett's grumpiness is going to rub off on him. "On the contrary, Detective," he says. "This is actually one of my better ideas. And you have to admit, we're a lot warmer than we would have been just walking around the park."

She scowls, but doesn't argue, so he counts it as a win.

He's counting the whole day as a win, really. It's snowing, he has a delicious cup of hot cocoa in his hands, and he and Beckett are huddled together on a carriage ride through Central Park.

It's technically a stake out. Their suspect is a weapons dealer who supposedly operates within the park. It had taken some convincing, but Beckett had grudgingly agreed that a carriage ride would at least cover more ground faster.

"Don't act like this was anything more than a thinly veiled attempt to get me alone," Beckett snarks, sipping her coffee.

"I am hurt," he says, trying his best to keep a straight face. "For you to accuse me of such a thing...and so close to Christmas, too."

Beckett smirks. "Afraid you'll get put on the Naughty List, Castle?"

He nods. "You don't mess with the Naughty List, Beckett," he says. "Even at my worst, I've never been on the Naughty List. I'm not about to start now."

She finally cracks a smile. "You keep telling yourself that, Castle."

They ride in silence for a few minutes, and he thinks she might actually be enjoying herself. He's about to wonder how Ryan and Espo are doing when she tenses beside him.

"Speaking of the Naughty List," she says, "I think I see our guy." She's tapping the driver on the shoulder and asking him to stop, and then she's leaping down into the slush and calling for backup.

He tips the driver and jumps down after her. Their guy bolts when Beckett identifies herself as a cop, because _of course_ he does, but only makes it a few feet before slipping and falling on a patch of ice. Castle can't help but laugh along with a few onlookers when she yells, "Freeze!"

He swears he sees her laughing, too.


	19. My Grown Up Christmas List

_set in season 4_

(Kate)

She's not sure what to expect when Alexis calls and asks if they can meet for lunch. She knows the girl hasn't been her biggest fan lately, but she hadn't sounded upset on the phone. She'd actually been almost shy.

They meet at a cute little coffee shop near Alexis' school. It's quiet and cozy, Christmas music piping softly through the speakers. Alexis is there waiting when Kate walks in, and surprises her by greeting her with a hug.

"Do you want to talk or eat first?" Kate asks once they're seated.

Alexis seems nervous, fidgeting in her seat, tearing pieces off of the paper placemat in front of her. "Can we talk first?" she asks.

"Of course," Kate says. She smiles, trying to put the girl at ease. "What's up?"

"It's about Christmas," Alexis tells her.

Oh. Right. The dinner invitation Castle had extended. The one she'd turned down. "Alexis, I-"

"I know you have to work," she says. "Dad told me. I just wanted to give you your present. In case I don't see you until after the holidays."

Her jaw drops. "My...my present?"

Alexis grins, pulls a prettily wrapped box out of her school bag. "It's from all of us; me, Dad, and Gram," she says. "They let me pick it out, though."

Kate unwraps the gift, opens the black velvet box to find a delicate silver charm bracelet. "Alexis, this is beautiful," she whispers. "I don't..."

"It's our way of saying thank you," Alexis explains, "for everything you've done for our family. For what you do for this city every day." She blushes. "You're family, Detective Beckett."

She stands up, pulls Alexis into a hug. "Thank you," she murmurs, sniffling. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

Alexis grins. "I'm really glad you like it," she says. "Especially because I get to tell Dad _I told you so_. He wasn't sure it was the right choice."

Kate laughs. "You have my permission to gloat all you want," she says. "It's perfect.


	20. Star Wars Holiday Special

_set in the current season; no spoilers for the new movie, I promise!_

(Castle)

He waits for her in the theater lobby, scanning the throngs of costumed fans that are here to see the midnight premiers of _The Force Awakens_. They decided against arriving together, keeping up appearances and all that, but he's had these tickets for months, and there was no way he was missing the opportunity to see this movie with her.

He's dressed as Han Solo, because why wouldn't he be? Han's been his hero since he was eight years old, seeing _Star Wars_ in theaters for the first of many times. Kate was coming as Leia, though she'd insisted on choosing her own costume, which was probably for the best. Despite the mild weather, he was positive she wouldn't be comfortable out in public in a metal bikini.

It's getting close to showtime, the crowd in the lobby thinning drastically, and he'd be worried if she hadn't just texted him that she's five minutes away. He busies himself buying popcorn, candy, and soda, making sure to include all of her favorites.

She comes through the door just as he's turning away from the concession counter, and he almost fumbles their popcorn, because that is the most _badass_ Princess Leia costume he's ever seen. Army fatigues from the Battle of Endor, complete with blaster, helmet, and perfectly braided hair.

"Wow," he says, and, yes he's staring, but he really doesn't care. "You look so awesome."

She just grins, relieves him of the candy and her soda. "You're not so bad yourself, Fly Boy."

He leads the way into the theater, where the previews are already rolling, and they're lucky enough to find two seats together. The lights start to fade, and he can feel her bouncing in her seat like a little kid.

LucasFilm LTD flashes on the screen, and they both squeak. He leans over and whispers, low enough for only her to hear, "I love you."

She doesn't take her eyes off the screen, where the opening credits are starting to scroll. "I know."


	21. There's No Place Like Home

_pre-series au; Johanna survived the stabbing & Kate and Castle met shortly after she moved home_

(Kate)

She pulls into her parents' driveway, kills the engine, and turns to Castle. "You still sure you want to do this?" she asks.

He gives her a smile, the disarming one that's been giving her butterflies for months. "This is the fifth time you've asked me that today, Kate," he says. "I'm starting to think you actually don't want me around."

"You know that's not true," she says, fidgeting with her scarf. "It's just...people already talk about us. And I don't want to ruin today with that."

Castle nods. "Okay. We don't say we're dating, then," he tells her. "We're just friends-which we are-and you didn't want to come alone."

She smiles, immediately relieved. "That sounds great," she says softly. "I mean, it's the truth, so..."

"You really don't like lying to your parents, do you?"

Kate shakes her head. "Given everything that happened this year..." She shrugs. "It just feels wrong. And Mom would see right through us anyway."

He chuckles. "Your mom is eerily perceptive," he agrees. "You ready?"

She nods. "As I'll ever be, I guess."

* * *

She gets roped into helping her mom with the dishes, which she knows is just an excuse for Mom to conduct an interrogation.

"So," she starts, handing Kate another dish to dry, "Rick seems like a very nice man."

Kate rolls her eyes. "Mom, you've met him before," she says. "Several times. You know he's nice."

Johanna nods, laughing. "You've got me there," she admits. She glances over her shoulder, makes sure he isn't listening in. "In all seriousness, Katie, when are you going to tell that man how you feel about him?"

"We're just friends, Mom," she says. She busies herself with putting the dishes away, so she doesn't have to lie to her mom's face.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett." Ah, yeah, she's caught. She turns to face the music, finds her mom with her hands on her hips, giving her that _look_. The look she usually reserves for clients that are being less than forthcoming. "I've seen the way the two of you look at each other. You're not _just_ anything."

She gnaws at her bottom lip. "I know," she says. "That still doesn't mean I'm going to act on it."

Her mom just grins. "Even if you don't, he will."

When Castle makes his move on New Year's Eve, her mom doesn't say _I told you so._ She doesn't have to.


	22. Winter Wonderland

_set in season 6_

(Castle)

He's beginning to understand why Kate and Jim love this cabin and the surrounding wilderness so much. He isn't an outdoorsy guy, prefers to do his camping in his living room, or really anywhere that doesn't have bears, but this place...

God, _this place_.

He eventually realizes that he's lost her again. They're hiking through the snowy woods, and he keeps getting distracted by the sheer beauty of it all. She's been patient, and thank god she's taking the lead because at least he can follow her footprints.

He hears the click of her phone's camera, looks up to find her watching him with a fond smile. "Hey," she says. "Figured I should probably come back for you. Wouldn't want you getting lost out here."

Castle grins sheepishly. "I got distracted again, sorry."

"No apologies necessary," Kate says, holding out her hand, which he gladly takes. "It's actually pretty cute. But if we want to get back to the cabin before nightfall, we should pick up the pace a little."

"It's just...so pretty."

She smiles his favorite smile; the one that lights up her entire face. "And you haven't even seen the best part yet, babe."

The path she leads him up gets steeper as they go, the trees thinning, until they emerge in a clearing. One that's also a lookout point over the lake. The view is stunning. Trees and snow and nearby cabins lit up for Christmas.

"Wow," he whispers. "Kate, this is amazing."

She hums in agreement. "I spent a lot of time up here that summer," she says. "Once I was strong enough to walk all the way up. Well, mostly." She pauses. "The first time I came up here, I ended up staying here all night because I just didn't have the energy to walk back. Scared the shit out of my dad."

"I can imagine." He squeezes her hand. "Thank you for showing me this." It amazes him that he's still learning so much about her, even after all this time.

They stand in silence for a good while, soaking in the peace of the day. Snow begins to fall, light and fluffy, and she tugs on his hand to get his attention. "We should head back," she says softly. "Make dinner, cuddle up by the fire."

"Sounds good to me," he replies, starting to follow their footprints back to the hiking trail. "Can we come back again before we leave?"

"Of course," she says, swinging their joined hands. "We can even build a snowman if you'd like."

Castle grins. "And pretend that he's Parson Brown?"

Kate laughs. "Sure, babe. Whatever you'd like."


	23. Christmas Eve with You

_set in the current season_

(Kate)

She works on Christmas Eve, to keep up with the story they've concocted for the public. It doesn't feel right, not like it used to. Espo is there with her, keeps sending her sympathetic looks through the window.

He saunters over around noon. "I'm going to grab some lunch, you want anything?" he asks.

She shakes her head. "I've got a meeting at 1PP in an hour," she says. "I'll grab something then." Espo nods, but doesn't leave her doorway. "Was there something else you needed, Detective?"

He shrugs. "I'm just surprised Castle hasn't shown up today," he says. "Even with whatever's goin' on between you two, it's Christmas Eve."

"He's probably spending the day with Alexis," she says. It's actually exactly what he's doing. They're trying to infuse some Christmas spirit into Hayley. He's been texting updates all morning. It's not going as planned.

"Are you going to see him at all?" Espo asks. She'd tell him to keep his nose out of her business, but he sounds so concerned. Castle is his friend too. She can't be mad at him for looking out for him.

Still, she hesitates before answering. "I've thought about it." Not a lie. She's planning on leaving early so she can help with dinner.

He nods. "I should head out," he says. "LT gets grumpy if he doesn't get his lunch on time. If I don't see you again before tomorrow, Merry Christmas."

She smiles. "Merry Christmas, Javi."

Her phone goes off just as she's finishing up her "meeting", which literally only involved sending an e-mail to her immediate superiors. It's from Alexis, a picture of Castle's PI office, cheerily decorated. Are you coming? Lunch is ready and dad's getting anxious...

 _I'm leaving now_ she responds. _Got caught up at work. tell your dad to call off the search party ;)_

There's a sign on the office door when she arrives. _Closed for the holidays! See you in the New Year! Richard & Alexis Castle. _She knocks, uses the secret knock they'd come up with in bed last night. He's flinging the door open before she can finish.

"Hi," he says breathlessly, tugging her inside and locking the door behind them. He stops to kiss her, only pulling away when their stomachs both growl. "Lunch is back here," he says, leading her through the office to his secret lair.

The smell of burgers, fries, and onion rings hits before the door even opens. "You got Remy's?" she asks excitedly. "I thought they were closed today."

He grins proudly. "They closed at eleven. I've been keeping everything warm here," he says. "Except the shakes. Those I kept cold."

She kisses him. "You are amazing."

 _Best. Secret Christmas. Ever._


	24. Merry Christmas Baby

_set in season 9_

(Kate)

She's nervous, so nervous. She doesn't really know why. She knows that he wants children with her, even after their separation last year. They've talked about it extensively, and he's said she only has to say the word.

Still, she waits until Alexis and Martha have retired for the night to seek him out. The small package that she's kept hidden in her purse she holds behind her back.

He's in his office, nursing a mug of eggnog and reading the manuscript that Black Pawn sent his way, wanting his opinion on the young author's potential. He's on his third read through, taking the time to type up notes of critique and encouragement.

Castle seems pretty engrossed, so she waits until he pauses his work to make herself known. He looks up when she clears her throat, marks his place in the manuscript, and beckons her over.

"Hi," she says softly, folding herself into his lap.

He kisses her, and she tastes chocolate and peppermint along with the eggnog. "Hi. You have perfect timing y'know."

She nuzzles into him. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he says. "I was just about to finish up and come find you."

"Well, I have something to give you, and it, uh, couldn't wait," she says.

"Oooh, bucking tradition," he says, grinning. "Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?"

Kate giggles. "Evil twin, and I locked her in the storage room." She hands him the package, holds her breath as he opens it.

He rips the paper off quickly and frowns. "Kate?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"This is your birth control," he says.

"Uh huh," she says. "Look inside."

He does, then looks back at her, still confused. "It's almost empty?"

Kate nods. "And I've decided that I'm not going to refill it once it's gone." She bites her lip and waits for him to catch on.

He does pretty quickly, his eyes widening. "Kate, does this mean what I think it does?"

"Yeah." She cups his cheeks, makes sure he's looking her in the eyes. "I want to start trying for a baby."

He kisses her, and she can feel the love and excitement rolling off of him in waves. She squeaks when he stands suddenly, carrying her into their bedroom.

He breaks the kiss just long enough to lay her down on the bed. She takes him by the tie, pulls him back in for a kiss. "I guess this means we're starting now."


End file.
